Story: Sons of Blood
We cling to the things we know, when change threatens our beliefs we oppose it. Chapter 1 Einheim die onos por Rhaal. This sacrifice we make for Rhaal. Gan te huro yutos. May he guide us and show us the way. Gan dern tos huro flure. May he guide our hands. Einheim die onos por Rhaal. This sacrifice we make for Rhaal. Adam plunged the knife into the goat's neck, it jerked around for a few seconds, but eventually died. "Drink." The word was a command, not to be refused. Jaime bent down and began lapping the spilled blood up with his tongue. The blood was warm and salty in his mouth. Eventually, the goat stopped pumping fresh blood and Adam tapped Jaime on his shoulder. "Enough." Jaime stopped. Fair haired and tall, he was a boy no more than 17, taken in by the Sons of Blood at 5 when no one else would. He had been raised as a son by the prophet, Adam. Adam was a hard man to look on, full of scars on his face and a crooked nose he was not without warmth. But make him angry and he would not hesitate to beat you, as Jaime learned many times in his youth. Adam's name was not actually Adam, but he had changed it to honor the founder of the Black Army, Adam Symon. Sometimes he fell into the illusion that he was a descendent of Adam Symon and anyone who corrected him would feel his callused hands on their back and face, as Jaime also discovered. "Rise and speak the words." Jaime rose and prepared to speak the words he had rehearsed many times before. "With this sacrifice I honor the one true god, Rhaal. Let him see me as a son of his and as a devoted follower. Let him see me as one who will spill blood in his name. Let him allow me access to eternity." Adam motioned for him to sit. "To prove your worth to Rhaal, you must honor him with human blood. We have a mission for you Jaime, and you will not fail us." Jaime nodded, Rhaal was his god, Rhaal his master, Rhaal his king. His loyalty was to Rhaal and Rhaal alone. When Adam spoke of capturing the high priest of the order in Gahfon and bringing him back for sacrifice, Jaime never flinched in his loyalty. He soon would. Chapter 2 "Neannu, you who created the Mythos, you who created the earth we stand on and the air we breathe. Neannu we offer our hearts to you and your glory. Guide us to the path of righteousness and help us fight back against Mortis and his servants." The sermon went on for another hour and a half before Joanna's father, Nicholas, stepped down from the alter. "Praise be to Neannu, we have even more believers in here than last week I think!" Nicholas exulted. Five more than thirty is still only thirty-five father. Joanna wanted to say, but she kept her mouth shut. "Yes father, let her rule over all of her children from now till infinity." Joanna could see her father was strained though. "Joanna, you are familiar with the false god Rhaal?" "No father." Her father's brow creased. "A servant of Mortis if that. But there have been... rumors... that a group worshipping this false deity has surfaced in Gahfon. I have alerted the city watch but... they won't move without proof or payment, it is clear they have been influenced by the Enemy." "What can be done father?" Her father turned to her and now she could see the worry in his eyes. "How much do you love Neannu Joanna?" Nicholas asked. "With all my heart." She said. Do I? Do I though? She thought. "I have a task for you then Joanna... we need to find the Sons of Blood before they gain too much power. I need you to find them for me. You are 18, old enough to take care of yourself. Anyone else and I would be afraid that they would be turned by Mortis, but not you. Not my darling girl." Joanna was speechless. "Father... that... I cannot... I cannot find the words to express myself right now." Nicholas obviously took that as a sign of happiness and relaxed a little. "Tomorrow then. You will not be alone, I will make sure you have some of my most trusted friends with you, and a member of the city guard as well. I know you will not disappoint me. I know you will not fail Neannu." Her father left her there, gaping like a fish out of water. Chapter 3 Jaime moved quietly through the city. It was almost dawn and the outstretched fingers of the sun would soon be crawling up upon the world. The guards taking the night watch had not been relieved yet and they were tired, now was the time the criminals and thugs came out the most as was visible throughout the city. Adam had assigned Jaime a mission to prove his skill to Rhaal before going after the priest, he was to bring back someone who no longer deserved to live and perform a ritual sacrifice honoring Rhaal. So many of these people deserve to die thought Jaime. Then he heard a shout. Running over to the nearest alleyway, he saw a woman being raped by a brutish giant of a man. "Stop squirming!" The man shouted. Jaime didn't hesitate, instead he pulled out his knife and ran up to the man, a clean stab was what Jaime wanted. It only served to anger the man, who quickly turned and smashed Jaime across the face, sending him flying into the nearest wall. Jaime saw double and was dazed as the man picked him up and punched the wind out of him. Jaime dropped his knife. "I'll teach you to mess with me you little shit!" the man yelled. He went to punch Jaime's head in. But Jaime was faster. He dodged the swing at his head and kicked the man in his groin. As the man dropped him, Jaime rolled over to the knife. Grabbing it he slammed it deep into the man's leg, causing him to fall. As the man started to rise Jaime slit his throat, then turned to the woman. "Come with me." Jaime beckoned. The woman, afraid, decided it was her best interest to follow the armed man. "My name is--" she began to say before Jaime cut her off. "Don't tell me you're name. That would only make it harder. What are you doing on the streets at night?" Jaime asked while leading her back the way he had come. "Well, I was just out having a night stroll when that man attacked me." She replied. "Liar. You came from the brothel over there," Jaime pointed "don't lie to me, I can tell when you do." Embarassed, she looked at the ground. A while went before she spoke. "He was a customer. He was drunk, dragged me outside. He hurt me. But you saved me. Why?" Jaime didn't reply. When they got to the abandoned bar which they came from, Jaime rapped on the door three times. "Password?" a voice said. "Blood and Glory." Jaime replied. Latches were heard unlocking and then the door swung open. A man in a cloak greeted them. The man spoke. "Adam is downstairs." Jaime lead the woman down some stairs into a dimly lit alter. He motioned to the stone slab in the middle of the room. "Lie down." He bid the woman. Nervously and hesitantly, she did as she was told. Adam walked into the room and handed Jaime a knife out of the view of the woman. Jaime walked over to her. "Liars burn." He said, before plunging the knife into her soft flesh. Chapter 4 Category:Fiction